Watford agree to sign Roma forward on loan in January – sources

Watford have reached an agreement in principle to sign Juan Iturbe on loan from Roma in January, Football Insider sources understand.

The Premier League club are in the final stages of negotiations with the Serie A title challengers about a deal that includes a £1million loan fee and an option to buy at the end of the season for a further £11million.

A Roma source has told Football Insider that the finances of the deal have been agreed and the 22-year-old Argentine has given it the go-ahead.

Roma spent an initial £16million plus add-ons to sign the player in 2014 following an impressive season at Verona.

Iturbe has failed to recreate that form at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring five times and creating five goals in 55 appearances, with his only goal this season coming against Frosinone in September.

Watford, who agreed a £7million deal to sign another Argentinian winger, Genoa’s Diego Perotti, in August only for the player to decide to remain in Italy, would like to spread the burden of goalscoring and creation beyond Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney.

Their much-lauded front two have contributed a combined 15 goals during the Hornets’ unexpected rise to seventh place in the Premier League, while the remainder of the squad have one goal and two assists between them.

He is known for his speed and fluent running with the ball, as well as his dangerous left-footed set pieces, but has found it harder to impress while playing for Roma.